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Botswana: BMWU Holds Crucial Congress
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Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone)
27 March 2008
Posted to the web 28 March 2008
Kenneth Banda
Gaborone
The Botswana Mine Workers Union (BMWU)'s four-day congress opens in Francistown today with the election of new officials top of the agenda.
The congress is being held against a backdrop of a sharp a division among current office bearers, a court case loss and questions over the officials' eligibility.
The election of new officials is scheduled for Saturday before the congress winds up on Sunday. Some of the influential officials have lost their jobs and a clique within the union has been questioning their eligibility to be in office.
All the officials are defending their seats. They were elected in 2004 and their term expired last September. Five members, including national chairperson, Chimidzani Chimidza, his deputy Golekanye Mogende, secretary general, Jack Tlhagale and treasurer, Lentsefetse Masilo have since lost their jobs at Debswana and BCL mines.
Delegates, drawn from BMWU's 14 branches countrywide, would vote through secret ballot. Apart from the elections, the congress is expected to receive a development report from the outgoing team detailing progress and challenges since 2004. The treasurer is expected to present an audited financial report.
The treasurer's report would be eagerly-awaited by the delegates, as some members of the union alleged that officials had failed to get the books audited. The financial audit was one of the impediments to holding a congress last year when the officials' term lapsed. Tlhagale said the congress, to be held at Tati River Lodge, will discuss amendments to the BMWU constitution. The president of the International Chemicals, Energy and Minerals (ICEM) workers union, Senzeni Zokwane from South Africa, will officially open the congress on Friday.
On Saturday, BMWU delegates will witness the official opening of the union's regional offices in Francistown. Tlhagale has described the opening of the union's offices as a landmark achievement. "It is something to be proud of. Being able to establish a regional office is an achievement," Tlhagale said.
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The new offices in Francistown's Block 8, will house BMWU member branches in the north. Tlhagale said the offices will help bring the union closer to the membership. In the past, he has hinted that the union intends to establish offices in other regions to ensure operations of BMWU run smoothly.
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